Katy Dartford enjoys some early season skiing, where before the crowds arrive she finds snow that holds and plenty of space to ski properly in the high altitude French resort.
Skiing in mid-December in Tignes feels like arriving just as the place is waking up. It’s not quite off-season, but the town hasn’t fully rubbed the sleep from its eyes either.
Hilary Everitt with Club Med ambassador Billy Morgan in Tignes
Dancing around with a trio of eight-foot-high robots adorned in flashing LEDs is not what Hilary Everitt expected from her trip to the traditionally tranquil resort of Val Claret in Tignes.
My companions and I were still digesting our supper when a siren summoned us to get up and dance with a group of gyrating robots who had entered the buffet restaurant where we were eating. From here the robots led us down to a theatre where a spectacular light and music show got the evening’s activities underway.
The French resort of Tignes has announced that it plans to open for summer skiing and boarding from 17 June to 23 July, 2023.
The Les 2 Alpes glacier. PHOTO: Luka Leroy
The five-week season target is a far cry from the past when the French resort was able to open for snow sports 365 days a year.
Despite the current economic climate, there still remains a real appetite for ski holidays according to Club Med’s annual ski report, The Economy of Ski: The Financial Factors Impacting the Upcoming Season.